DJ Hero 2 Pumping Out of Your Speakers From 22nd October

Activision launches its "Name That Mix" challenge with prizes to be won

One of the best qualities that the original DJ Hero possessed was undoubtedly the soundtrack; with its eclectic make-up of various genres moulded together to give something familiar yet all together fresh. When its upcoming sequel lands in UK shops on 22nd October, you can be sure to find mash-ups that will instantly send you into a party mood; as well as some changes to the in-game play modes.

With DJ Hero 2, FreeStyleGames has put the emphasis on multiplayer; with the inclusion of DJ Battles putting players head-to-head in a – you've guessed it – battle environment that uses mixes that have been produced specifically for such occasions. Never made it passed the DMC or ITF qualifiers? This is your chance to get one up on your opponent and score some heavy points in doing so. Fans of Guitar Hero 5 will recognise the Party Play mode which allows players to jump in and out of songs, and the microphone support lets gamers score points by hitting the correct pitches as accurately as they can.

In single player, an all new Empire Mode has gamers starting their disc-spinning careers at the very bottom of the ladder, and working their way up to becoming a DJ at the top of their game. From bedrooms to sold-out arenas, this revamped career mode should offer something a bit more rewarding than what was seen in DJ Hero.

Following last month's announcement of the tracklisting, Activision has now launched the "Name That Mix" challenge on the game's Facebook page, inviting gamers to identify which songs have been used to create the mash-up of mash-up videos on a weekly basis. Running every week until 21st September, your music knowledge will be tested and rewarded with over 275 prizes; ranging from DJ equipment to trips to seeing artists that have contributed to the game at live performances. If you missed the soundtrack, here it is in its entirety:

The Crystal Method - “Busy Child (Still Busy After All These Years Remix)”

The Jackson 5 - "ABC”

The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Mase & Diddy - “Mo' Money, Mo' Problems”

The Prodigy - "Omen”

The Prodigy - “Firestarter”

Tiësto - "Speed Rail”

Tiësto & Sneaky Sound System - “I Will Be Here”

Tiësto vs Diplo - “Come On”

Tiga - "You Gonna Want Me”

Timbaland feat. Drake - “Say Something”

Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. - “The Way I Are”

Tweet feat. Missy Elliott - “Oops (Oh My)”

Walter Murphy - "A Fifth Of Beethoven”

Warren G feat. Nate Dogg - "Regulate”

Wayne Smith - "Under Mi Sleng Teng”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix )”

Young Jeezy feat. Kanye West - "Put On”

As you can see, the tracklisting has a lot of potential and we can't wait to see what kind mash-ups this instalment will throw our way. Out of the 105 individual tracks, over 80 unique remixes have been produced and if the first DJ Hero is anything to go by, expect to re-discover your love for an oldie, but also, to embrace the reluctant leaning towards something you previously disliked.

What sets this game apart from its predecessor is the amount of "freestyling" players can perform; with certain areas that allow gamers to legitimately alter the structure of the mash-up. Crossfading, scratches, and sample triggering have all been turned up a notch, allowing gamers to freely inject more creative input into the experience.

As soon as we get confirmation on release dates outside of the UK, you'll read about it here.